Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-08-05
CHAPTER x.

CHAPTER K.
1t was the elfish baby-girl Mona who
first put me on the track of the solution
of the mystery about Mr.. Rayner's
room. This il1-cared for little creature
instead of resenting the neglect with
which she was treated priced the liber-
ty ofroaming whithersoever she pleased
and making herself altogether the
dirticst little girl had ever seen-at
meal times she grew hungry and
would return to the house of her own
accord.
The day after the violin playing was
very wet and looking out of the win
dow saw Mona trOtting composedly
along a path which led to the stables,
without a hat through the fast falling
rain--I seized an umbrella and started
in pursuit.
The stables were built much higher
up than the house, close to the road.
but surrounded by trees. ! had never
been near them before; but now fol-
lowed Mona close underneath the
walls. seized and caught her up in
my arms so suddenly that for the first
prised to howl; but l had scarcely
turned to take her back to the house
when she recovered her powers com.
pletely. and made the plantation ring
with most elfish yell. l spoke to her
and tried to reason with her, and told
her it was all for her good, when one
of the upper windows was thrown open,
and Mr.. Rayner appeared at it.
"Hallo, what is the matter? Kidnap-
ping, Miss Christie?''
"Oh, Mr.. Rayner, she will sit in the
mud and open her mouth to catch the
rain, without hat, and it can't be
good for her!" l said piteously.
"Nevcr mind. 1t doesn't seem to
hurt her. ! believe she is half frog. :"
said her father, with less tenderness
than he might have shown. I thought.
"But you will get your own feet wet.
my dear child" said he, in quite diff
ferent tone. "Come up here and sit
by the fire. while 1 fetch your galoches.
You have never seen my studio. !
pass half my time painting and smok-
ing here when it is wet and can't get
out. You don't mind the smell OF
mrpcntine or tobacco. do you?"
'.Oh, no, Mr.. Rayner! But l won't
come in, thank you. am at lessons
with Haidee." said l. And l returned
to the house with Mona.
1t was to his studio then that Sarah
had taken his violin. l had never
heard of this studio before; but l knew
that Mr.. Rayner was very careful
about the condition of the stables, and
could imagine that this two-windowed
upper room, with its fire, must be .
very nice place to paint in-dry, warm
and light. Could this be where Mr..
Rayner slept? No; for in that case he
would hardly have asked me to come
up and look at his painting. And I
should not like to think that he had
made for himself q snug warm little
home here while his family slept in the
damp vapors of the marsh at the bot
tom of the hill. Yet l should have
liked in the face of Mr.. Reade' 8 tires0me
suspicious, to be sure.
On the following night there was q
high wind, which made the door which
stood always fastened back at the top
of the kitchen stairs rattle and creak
on its hinges. At last could bear this
last sound no longer. had been sit
ting up late over book, and knew that
the household must be asleep so 1 slipped
downstairs as softly as could. 1 had
got to the top of the back staircase and
had my hand on the door, when saw
a faint glimmer of light coming along
the passage below. heard no sound.
l drew back quickly, SO quickly that
my candle went out; and then
waited, with my heart beating
fast, not so much to see who
it was, as because l did not
dare to move. The faint light came
along swiftly, and I could see that it
was shaded lantern, and could just
distinguish the form of a man carrying
1t. For the next few moments l scarce
ly dared to breathe, and l could al
most have given cry of joy when. by
some movement Of the head, recog-
nized Mr.. Rayner. He did not see me;
he put the key in the lock, turned it,
took the key out, went through and
locked it after him so quickly and so
entirely without noise that a moment